Polish folk music:
• There are many similarities in folk music to other
slovenian countries like: Chech Republic, Slovacai,
Ukraine, Belarus and Russia
• Folk music was produced by amateur singers and
music players
• It was created during weddings, folk festivals and
children’s plays
• It is known for not being written and transfered from
generation to generation in the spoken language
Folk instruments:
String – fiddle instruments
• gęśliki podhalańskie
(złóbcoki)
• The sound is made by
plunking or pulling the
string with a primitive
fiddlestick
• Mazanki
• It looks like a little violin
with three strings.
• Suka biłgorajska
• It looks like a little
violin. It is made from
one piece of wood it
cooperates perfectly
with singing.
Plunking instruments
• Mandolin
• The sound is made by
plunking the string.
• Cytra
• It is an instrument with
flat resonance box. It is
usually decorated with
painted folk motives.
• cymbały
• The sound is made by
hitting the strings with
two sticks.
• Drumla
• One of the oldest
instruments, it is made
from metal. To make a
sound you have to keep
it between your teeth
and plunk it with a
moveable tongue.
A wind instruments
• Piszczałki
• It is made from pieces
of so called grass,
straws and wood.
• Bazuna, ligawa
• It is a long pipe made
from spruce wood.
• Dudy, kozioł
• It is made from goat’s
bag of air and pipes.
• Gwizdki ceramiczne
( ceramic whistles)
• They can have many
shapes like: birds,
horses, riders, rams.
The sound is made by
filling the instrument
with water and blowing.
Drum instruments
• Grzechotki, kołatki
• They can have many
shapes and they are
made from wood. The
sound is made by
hitting one’s hand.
• Burczybasy
• It is made from a barrel
without the bottom. On
one side there is an
animal skin. The sound
is made by pulling
horse’s hair and pouring
water on it at the same
time.
Characteristic features of Polish folk
music
• Changeability and anonymity are traditional features in
our music.
• The music is transferred from generation to generation
it become folk music not one performer’s music
• Rich melody line enriched with various diversities
• The melody line is sung by one voice (different than in
other countries) the exception is with highlanders’
music
• In folk music Polish people use variety of music
instruments
• Polish folk dances: Oberek, Krakowiak, Kujawiak
Oberek
• Polish folk dance with a
tempo and jumpy melody
Krakowiak
• Polish folk snappy dance.
It is called: passing, chasing,
tripping
Kujawiak
• It is a calm dance,
Performed on bent legs,
It is like walking
Polish folk song
• Konik
Drepce konik drepce
Do stajenki nie chce
Żeby do Marysi
Poleciałby jeszcze
W podwóreczku małym
Studzieneczka stoi
Kto jedzie to jedzie
Konika napoi
Siwy konik siwy uzdeczka
jedwabna
Czy duża czy mała kurpianeczka
zgrabna
• Little horse
The horse is running the horse is
running
He doesn’t want to go to the
stable
He wants to go to Mary
In little yard there is a dwell
The one who is coming will drink
the horse
A grey horse grey silk bridle
Big or small Kurpianeczka girl
The dance – Little horse
• Children walk in pairs singing the song, then
they stop to make a bridge from their hands.
One pair goes under the bridge. Children from
that bridge join previous couple and they walk
together under the next bridge. In the
background you can hear children whistling
the folk instruments – whistles.
The music is kept in traditional fast folk
Oberek dance.
The video